Army begins receiving chem-bio shelters

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EDGEWOOD, Md., Feb. 21 (UPI) -- The first of more than 100 chemical biological protective shelters have been delivered to the U.S. Army by Smiths Detection under a $40 million contract.

The self-contained, mobile shelters provide 400 square feet of protective, sterile work space for medical personnel to perform preventative and emergency care in the field. The shelters can also be used in homeland security operations following natural disasters.

"These CBPS units offer the U.S. Army a critical dual-use capability -- a highly mobile, protected environment for soldiers operating under threat of chemical and biological agents or the harsh conditions of a natural disaster response," said Bob Bohn, Smith Detection's vice president of sales.

The contract for 111 shelters was given by the U.S. Department of Defense's Joint Program Executive Office for Chemical and Biological Defense. They will be manufactured at Smith Detection's expanded facility in Edgewood, Md., and delivered over a two-year period, the company said.